Tobacco Free Lifestyle

Smoking Cessation

The primary goal of the Orange County Department of Health’s Comprehensive Tobacco Prevention and Education Program are to reduce the number of youth who use tobacco, promote quitting among adults and youth, reduce exposure to secondhand smoke in all communities in Orange County, and to eliminate smoking in all playgrounds in Orange County.

Tobacco kills more Americans each year than alcohol, cocaine, crack, heroin, homicide, suicide, car accidents, fire and AIDS COMBINED. The most common diseases caused by smoking are lung cancer, heart disease and stroke, emphysema and chronic bronchitis. The only way to reduce your risk for these diseases is to QUIT!

Interested in Quitting?

Free Nicotine Replacement Therapy is available for cessation participants through the NYS Smoker’s Quitline: 1-866-NY-QUITS OR www.nysmokefree.com

Adolescent Tobacco Use Prevention Act (ATUPA) is a statewide tobacco enforcement program aimed at reducing the use and accessibility of tobacco to youth under 18 years of age and to insure compliance with Public Health Law 13-F (Regulation of Tobacco Products and Herbal Cigarettes – Distribution to Minors). Youth ages 15-17 are trained by the Department of Health to conduct compliance inspections with OCDOH staff members to ascertain if vendors are selling tobacco products to underage youth.

Every tobacco vendor in Orange County receives at least two compliance inspections yearly. One inspection is done with a minor in an attempt to purchase a tobacco product and the other is to retrieve updated tobacco sales registration information and review proper signage. Those vendors found to be in violation of the Public Health Law during the compliance inspection with a minor are provided hearing notices and, if found guilty, are fined.

For more information or to obtain a copy of the law, contact the Orange County Department of Health, Community Health Outreach, at 845-360-6680 or the New York State Department of Health at www.health.ny.gov

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Tobacco 21 Law

Vendor signage is available below. *Please note that if a vendor prints their own signage, signs must be printed on a white card, at least 8 1/2 x 11 inches in size, with red lettering that is at least a 1/2 inch in height. *